Let's Have Some Christmas Fun

Catori is just a little over 2 years old now and it is so fun to watch her get excited about all that comes with Christmas.  Last year she enjoyed herself and was temporarily interested in her new toys, but didn't fully grasp what was going on or exactly what we were doing.  This year the magic of the season has grabbed a hold of her and she is so thrilled to see the decorations go up in the house, Christmas trees, the never ending holiday displays in the stores, sounds of the season blasting through our radio and most especially the lights! Oh how she loves the lights dancing around on the houses as we drive down the streets.  Her gasps and shrills and shouts of "mommy look!" is so adorable it has made me fall in love with this time of year all over again.  Kids can somehow change the way you look at everything and allow you to experience it through a fresh set of eyes.  I never really decorated my house for Christmas before her.  Okay, I had the old hand-me-down 'charlie brown' tree I had acquired somewhere along the way, old decor my mom or sister had given me they no longer used and a generic stocking with no name.  I guess I never really saw the reason to go through all that work and trouble of decorating when I was usually gone traveling for work and there was no one else to enjoy it with me (other than my little Yorkie dog of course).  Ha, it makes me laugh when I think about how my mom and sister just could not fathom how I could go through the entire Christmas season with out so much as putting a wreath on my front door.  I'm assuming that's why Lori gifted me with one a few years ago, which I am extremely grateful for because it is extremely easy to put up and just as easy to take down and store again until next year.  I lived this way all through my 20s and even into my 30s without a pinch of remorse.  All of that has changed now that I have a family of my own and others to share it with.  The sparkle in my daughter's eyes and excited giggles as she dances around the living room to familiar Christmas tunes is all the motivation I need to blast this place with Christmas joy and then some!  Funny how things change. Not only have we decorated the house and will be venturing out to buy our first ever real Christmas tree, we are devoting our entire month to having fun creating holiday crafts, decor and memories to last us years to come.

Here are a some fun ones we have attempted so far over the last few days.  Some allow Catori to be involved more than others, but she enjoys the end result just the same.

Classic Santa Sack Puppet:
You can get creative and make your Santa any way you would like.  Here are the shapes and items we used to make ours if you'd like and example or template.
1 sheet of Red, White and Black construction paper
1 small brown paper sack
handful of cotton balls
2 small black buttons
paint if you'd like to make rosy cheeks
glue - you can use a stick, but bottle glue works better when applying cotton
(I had to paint the sack and background of face because there was a large black bar code on the bottom of our sack but it's not necessary)

 

Cardboard Christmas Trees:
I found this idea on Pinterest from www.remodelista.com.  There wasn't a step by step on how to make them, just a lovely photo of some they had displayed. So I figured I'd give it a try and post a tutorial on it.
You will need...
a few pieces of cardboard
a writing utensil to trace with
a good pair of scissors
scrap book paper or paint to decorate

• draw out a Christmas tree in any size you desire
• trace a second one to match so that they can be assembled
• cut a slit in one of the trees half way up starting at bottom
• cut a slit in second tree half way down starting at the top
• after decorating trees on both sides and they have dried, slide one tree into the slit of the other forming the 3d tree

;

Christmas Countdown Board:
Not sure if I'm the only one, but if you have any of these over used dry erase boards, don't throw it away just yet.  No matter what I did, I could not get that marker to come off. So much for easy erase markers.. sigh. But the great thing is, chalkboard paint can turn almost anything into a new treasure! We decided to make this one our Christmas countdown board. Every morning, we change the number of days as the excitement rises!

Make it sparkle:
Since I told you how I hadn't really taken the time to decorate much in the past, you can imagine my holiday boxes to unload are somewhat limited. And since we don't have a special 'Christmas decor' fund set aside, that means we get to be extra creative around here. Displaying my nativity scene that my mother gifted me years ago was of high importance.  I want to allow Catori to embrace and enjoy all of the fun & mystery that comes along at Christmas time, but sharing with her that true meaning of why we celebrate and do all we do is top priority.  I needed a little something to display above the nativity so I could devote a special place to it alone. So..a sparkly 'oh come let us adore him' seemed like the sensible thing to do.

black construction paper
white colored pencil
bottle of glue
glitter
cheap frame (I found a package of 10 various small sizes at Michael's for $9.99!

• draw out whatever saying it is you desire to display
• carefully trace letters with a very thin line of glue
• generously sprinkle glitter over words
• let sit until completely dry then dump excess glitter back into bottle

Maxi Dresses Year Round?..Why not!

I've had a few people ask me if it's okay to wear your maxi dresses on into the fall/winter season and if so, how??  So I decided to do a blog dedicated to the infamous maxi dress for Fashion Friday.  The answer to the question is simple, yes.  The secret ... layers, lots of layers. I know for some that might be a challenge that leaves them feeling frustrated and walking away from their closets in despair. To get you back in your wardrobe and creative juices flowing, here are a few examples of just how you can do it.  Be inspired by the color, print or fabric and just go with it.  Don't get caught up in being to matchy matchy or you can get stuck.  The more you layer, the more color palette you have to play with and the more options your closet can offer.
Have some fun and enjoy!

feel free to leave comments with questions or message/email me pics of your favorite maxi dress & I'll help you give it a winter flair!  

Clean It Up

So of all the crafty organized people I have had the pleasure to encounter, I have to say my sister Lori ranks right up there at the top.  Her house is unbelievably organized (down to her pantry & labels) and every room has clever & chic decor making it look like a page from a magazine. The best part about it is she does it all on a budget!  Being financially savvy has been apart of Lori since she became a wife & mother at the young age of 20 and it has only flourished since then.  I love walking up to her house when in town for visits and admiring her latest seasonal decor adorning her porch.  It's like a warm welcome for friends and family before you even enter her house. But my most absolute favorite time of the year at Lori's house is Christmas. It's like walking into a beautiful winter wonderland accompanied with hints of cinnamon & peppermint in the air and classic holiday carols in the background.  I don't know how she does it.  It's not over done, it's not corny in anyway, it's simply inspiring! So when I walked into her adorable and functioning laundry room a few months back and saw she was using a homemade laundry detergent, I had to have the recipe!  It seemed so logical and easy I wondered why I hadn't done it before.  Now that I've been using it myself for awhile I have to say it is so much better than the expensive chemical filled garbage I had been using before.  Our clothes are clean, smell good and have absolutely no ingredients that could be harmful to us, which makes me especially happy with a 2 year old running around here.

So here is her fabulous recipe:
1 (4lb) box of super washing soda
1 (4lb) box of baking soda
1 (4lb) box of borax
3 regular size bars of Fels Naptha soap.  If you choose to use Zote or Dr Bonner's, you don't need to use as much because the bars are very large size. Maybe 1 1/2 to 2 bars will be enough.

Use a cheese grater and shred soap into a large container.  Pour the rest of all the ingredients in with the shredded soap and mix very well.  Some people like to add several drops of their favorite essential oils for additional scent.  I chose peppermint for this go round, but lavender seems to be a popular choice as well.  Use 2 large tablespoons per load and it will last you months!

Enjoy your homemade, safe and budget savvy laundry detergent!

Apple Cinnamon Goodness!

 I think I have found the perfect Christmas breakfast! This apple cinnamon oatmeal delight feeds several people, takes no time at all to make & is thrown in the crock-pot the night before.  That means there is no messing around in the kitchen come Christmas morning when it's time to open gifts and be with family. Oh yeah and one more perk...it had the kitchen smelling oh so yummy!

Below is the original recipe I saw on Pinterest, but we made a few adjustments to compliment our taste buds.  I am not really one for apple skins so we peeled our apples before putting into the mix.  Also, my daughter and I thought tossing some raisins into this delicious dish added just the right touch.

You could try it on top of a warm piece of toast or aside a glass of almond milk.  Or here's a thought....fill your crock-pot first thing in the morning and have this in the evening for dessert over homemade vanilla bean ice-cream instead!! YUM!

Here's what to do:
Throw 2 sliced red apples, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, & 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
into the bottom of the crock pot.
(here is where you can add raisins or any additional goodies you like)
Next pour 2 cups of oatmeal & 4 cups of water on top.
Do not stir or mix, just let it sit.
Cook overnight for 8-9 hours on low.

Serve when you're ready to feast! Enjoy!

Perfect Combo...Quick, Easy & Healthy!

This recipe is so simple and quick and my favorite part is it''s super healthy coming in at less than 150 calories!  Since I've started my journey towards a more clean eating & healthy lifestyle, (sometimes a really slow start with a couple relapses) I have come across tons of recipes and concoctions and this has been one of my favorite. Not only is it good for you and easy on the budget, it provides yummy left overs and is ready to go in just a matter of minutes.

What you'll need:
1/2 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup chopped acocado
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
a large pinch of black pepper
combine in bowl and chill or serve immediately

I slightly altered mine b/c it was very creamy. I added some more cucumber, tomato & avocado to help balance the taste of the yogurt.  I like to eat the salad on either Tricuit crackers or wrapped up in a spinach tortilla. Delish!

instant bliss in every room

It's finally here. Cold weather that is. Even though it is already the middle of November, I just now turned my heat on in the house and only at night. I've had the pleasure of not having to run my a/c or heat for the last few weeks, one of the rare perks of Texas weather.  So today as I went to change my air filter I wondered if something might work..and it did!  This is so easy I still can't believe it actually works. I took one of my favorite essential oils, peppermint, and sprinkled a few droplets on both sides of the filter.  A couple hours later when the heat kicked on I had an instant breeze of peppermint kiss my nose! It was bliss. I was excited because I had almost forgotten about the oil and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet scent.  Now every time the air kicks on the rooms are instantly filled with a burst of that sweet mint.  I'm not sure how long the oil will last, days or weeks, but I do know it's the perfect thing to do to your filters before family & friends come over this holiday season.  I can't wait to try this again!

Room For The Whole Family

I love to decorate! If I had a room for every different idea & theme I had blossoming in my head, I'd need a 20 room mansion at minimum. But my reality is much more humble so I often rearrange, change out pics on walls, swap pillows etc to keep things fresh around here and allow room for creativity to flourish.  Yet I have had this one space...this awkward and unused space I just couldn't figure out what to do with.  It's that small front room that welcomes guest as they enter into your home. There really isn't any room for furniture, a TV or table with chairs so it's has only served as a walk through area these former years.  Recently I had an epiphany and started planning.  I really needed some space for Catori to play in that allowed her the room she needed yet kept her close so I can keep an eye on her as well. No matter how independent she thinks she is, there are still questionable choices made at 2 years old that keep me on close surveillance.  So I slowly transitioned this space into a fun play area for Catori where she can learn, be creative and play with friends yet not look like a daycare center when guest walk in.  This gave us so many opportunities to be creative and make our own decor and engage in some fun crafts together as well.  Here are some photos of the room and several DIY crafts and projects that we embarked upon.  I will follow up this blog with tutorials on the ones we really enjoyed and ideas you can try at home as well!

This is the small space directly in front of the door when you walk in, somewhat of my ode to Anthropolgie, one of my most favorite places for home decor and inspiration.

so easy to take a old dressing jar and fill it with some great dried flowers 

easiest plant stand..garage sale bargain stool.

this is where we keep our weekly library books so we don't get them mixed in with ours

this clock was really fun to make. see my previous blog for details

my mom gave me an old school desk for Catori. We took the legs off for now and updated it with a coat of bright yellow spray paint and chalk board paint on the top

We found a fun way to store our chalk, colored pencils, crayons and paint brushes. These tin buckets were $1 at the Target dollar spot and the frame was upcycled with a fresh coat of spray paint

Keeping the upper portion of the shelves kid friendly with a horse and bird house keep with the flow of the room. The bottom shelves contain baskets to house various toys and children's books.

 

There was a huge open space in the shelves that we decided to turn into a ready nook. We picked some fun fabric and I made all the pillows and seating pad. To keep it from sliding on the tile floor, I bought a floor mat for kids (the big puzzle piece kind) and painted it solid white. The curtains are just one panel cut into 2 pieces that I trimmed down and hemmed then hung on a tension

We also added lights all around the inside walls of nook area so we can snuggle up and read at night too

We love this wall of art because it includes master pieces by both Catori and her daddy!

Catori painted these stained glass canvas pieces all herself!

easy easy...this LOVE piece took me hardly any time to make and we felt the word was the most appropriate to put in the front room and greet all our guest

Rose...Nose. Rodney painted this one for Catori as she was learning to talk. Easy rhyming words and pictures to help her along the way.  One of our favorites!

I love how colorful and fun this piece is. Our dear friend Nicole used an old quilt of mine and and created this cool installment piece for an art showing. We were lucky enough for her to gift it back to us and now it's the perfect decor for this fun room

Chalk boards are a must for any child's room. This was an easy and cheap project and we have gotten so much use out of it. Catori colors and draws here on a daily. It's also a good place for me to teach and go over shapes, colors, numbers and letters with her as well.

Stay tuned as I'll be posting tutorials on all the DIY projects from this fun play room and cheap easy way to decorate.